Appliance for stores.



No. 792,753. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. A. BOWERS.

APPLIANCE FOR STORES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1904.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 No. 792,753. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. A. BOWERS.

APPLIANCE FOR STORES.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 23, 1904.

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APPLIANCE FOR STORES" SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,753, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed May 23, 1904. Serial No. 209,407.

To all 1071,0177, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER BoWERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dubuq ue, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Appliances for Stores, of which the following is a specification.

ln retail stores in which crackers, cookies, and other sweet goods, together with candies, are kept for sale each different kind of goods is sometimes packed in a separate box, and these boxes are placed in cabinets, with three or four boxes on each shelf of the cabinet, and those shelves, with the boxes thereon, set one above the other. In making sales from one or more of these boxes the merchant is obliged to remove a box from the cabinet and place it upon the counter or some restingplace while he removes what he desires from its contents and then replaces the box in the cabinet. If he desires to weigh out a number of different kinds of goods, he must remove each individual box in the same manner from the cabinet and return the boxes to their various places in the cabinet.

The leading object of my invention is to overcome this inconvenience and to draw out one or more boxes on a shelf at the same time and sustain them in connection with the cabinet in such a manner that the lids may be opened while the contents of the boxes are re moved.

It consists in a movable shelf and in means for drawing out the shelf with the boxes and sustaining the shelf and boxes in front of the cabinet from which they are drawn while the merchant removes the goods for sale and then returning the boxes to the cabinet.

The following specification will set out in detail the manner in which I accomplish my object when taken in connection with the drawings accompanying the same and forming a part hereof.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet with the boxes therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one shelf closed into the cabinet, with a box thereon and supporting-stay also closed into the box. Fig. 3 shows a portion of one of the tracks and of the shelf therein removed from the cabinet. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one section of the cabinet and shelf drawn out with stays in position and one box on the shelf with cover open.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the cabinet, which consists of a frame C with corner-posts (Z.

B represents the boxes, and D the shelves. The boxes are usually made of tin, with a small glass (0 in the front and a cover 6 hinged at the rear of the box. Across the ends of each shelf is a ledge E to prevent the boxes 13 from interfering with the stays, subsequently to be described, when the boxes are drawn'out or closed in. Beneath the shelves near each end is a track G, which is attached to the cabinet and projects a short distance in front of the cabinet, forming rests H, on which the rear of the shelf rests when drawn out. If no covers are used on the boxes or covers other than those hinged to the rear of the boxes, then the rest H may be dispensed with. On the under side of the shelves D at each end is secured a track I, which is so arranged as to slide in the track G. To these tracks may be attached rollers where the boxes are large and heavy. Handles /t are attached to the front edge of the shelves.

Across each end of the cabinet on the inside near the middle of the section is secured a brace K, to which is fastened a pin L, provided with ahead Z7. This pin may have thereon a roller for the purpose of operating the hereinafter-to-be-described shelf-stay. This roller, however, may be dispensed with.

To the outer ends of each of the shelves is secured a lug M, to which is pivoted a supporting-stay P. This stay is provided with a slot N, which is adapted to engage the pin L on the brace K and travel thereon. This stay P is also provided with astandard R, attached to the under side of the stay near the outer end and of such length that when the shelf is drawn out the standard will engage the inner edge of the shelf and press down upon it to prevent the tipping up of the shelf when the boxes are drawn out upon the shelf.

The manner of operating my device is substantially as follows: Starting with the boxes and shelves closed in, as shown in Fig. 1, the operator grasps the handles h and draws out a shelf, and with it all the boxes thereon, till the rear of the shelf rests upon the rests H. The shelf will be drawn out at nearly right angles to the cabinet, since the track I slides in the track G. As the shelf is drawn out the supporting-stay P will travel upon the pin L in its slot N and the standard R will gradually be lowered till its lower end will rest firmly upon the top of the shelf near the inner edge, and the stay P will be drawn outward till the end of the slot has engaged the pin L and prevents it from being drawn farther. The shelf will now be held at its front edge by the supporting-stay P engaging the pin L and the lug M, and at its rear edge by the rest H on its under side and the standard R pressing upon its upper surface. It will be seen that since the shelf has been drawn beyond the front of the cabinet the covers or lids of the boxes may be raised without interfering with the cabinet, and it will also be seen that the boxes are rigidly sustained in a convenient position for removing their contents, and when they have been used they may be shoved back into the cabinet, and all of the supporting-stays will also be closed into the cabinet.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is* 1. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a movable shelf, a stay connecting the cabinet with the forward portion of the shelf, and means attached to the stay to engage the rear of the shelf and exert a downward pressure thereon.

2. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a track secured to the cabinet, a shelf adapted to travel on the track and be supported thereby, a stay connecting the cabinet with the forward portion of the shelf, and means attached to the stay and adapted to press upon the rear of the shelf and hold it firmly on the track. v

3. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a track attached to the cabinet, ashelf adapted to travel upon the track and be supported thereon, a stay provided with a slot and connecting the cabinet with the forward portion of the shelf and a standard attached to the stay and adapted to engage the rear of the shelf and press the shelf upon the track.

4. In a device of the character described, a shelf, means for sustaining the rear of the shelf from beneath, and a stay for the forward portion of the shelf adapted to press upon the rear of the shelf and. hold it upon the means for support with. an upward pull of the front edge of the shelf.

5. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a brace provided with a pin attached to the cabinet, a track, a shelf adapted to travel on the track and be supported thereby, a stay provided with a slot set to engage the pin on the brace and guided thereby said stay attached to the forward portion of the shelf, and means connected with the stay to exert a downward pressure upon the rear portion of the shelf and hold the shelf upon the track.

6. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a track attached to the cabinet and projecting beyond the front side of the cabinet, a movable shelf adapted to travel on the track and be partially sustained thereby, and a stay for the forward portion of the shelf slidingly attached to the cabinet and pivoted to the shelf and adapted to exert a downward pressure on the rear of the shelf and hold the rear of the shelf upon the projections of the track and exert an upward pull on the forward portion of the shelf.

7 In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a track attached to the cabinet and projecting beyond the front of the cabinet, a sliding shelf provided with a guide on the under side of the shelf adapted to engage the track, a brace connected with the cabinet, and a stay connected with the brace and with the forward portion of the shelf and adapted to exert a downward pressure upon the rear of the shelf and an upward pull on the front of the shelf.

8. In a device of the character described, a track, a slidable shelf, a pin secured to the cabinet, a stay provided with a slot and engaging the pin in the slot and attached to the front edge of the shelf, and a standard attached to the stay and adapted to engage the rear of the shelf when the shelf is drawn out and exert a downward pressure thereon while the stay exerts an upward pull on the front edge of the shelf.

9. In a device of the character described, a cabinet, a track attached to the cabinet and provided with a rest H, a brace K. secured to the cabinet and provided with a pin, a stay P provided with a slot to engage the pin L on the brace, and a standard R adapted to engage the rear portion of the shelf, all combined as and for the purposes shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER BOIVERS.

WVitncsses:

M. M. CADY, M. R. IIEMMER. 

